The Proposal Card
by ARealImagination
Summary: On this dating show, 8 guys (Jess, Logan, Tristan, Dean, Finn etc) are the contestants vying for Rory's love w/ a proposal being the end goal. Embark on the journey through romantic dates, drama, betrayal and tears. Who'll win Rory's heart? And will he get down on one knee and ask her to be his wife? Or will she be left heartbroken and alone? Find out next on The Proposal Card.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This idea came to me today and in an hour, I have the whole story planned out! I'm quite excited about it since it involves all the guys we love (or not) from the show and their relationship with Rory. I hope you guys will be too. It is AU considering that the characters don't know each other beforehand unless revealed in the story. Why that is, you will find out as they interact with each other. Also, the guys' ages and background might be different from the show to provide a variety. Embark on this journey with Rory and find out who she chooses at the end! Enjoy!

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**The Proposal Card**

Welcome to _The Proposal Card,_ a reality dating show that leads to love, romance and, potentially, a proposal at the end of it all. Our bachelorette this time is a twenty-seven year old journalist living in New York City. She's looking for someone special, someone who will be her best friend, who can bring her security and comfort, but also adventure and passion. Someone who she can share her life with.

Rory Gilmore, the star of this season, was signed up by her childhood best friend, Lane Kim, to participate in this intense, fun and rewarding experience. Career-wise, she has many impressive accomplishments. Her prestige started early, being the top of her class in the preparatory school Chilton after transferring there in senior year. Then, she went on to purse a major in journalism at Harvard. Being an Ivy League graduate, she went on to travel around the country for two years as a reporter for the Barack Obama campaign. After the campaign, her luck continued, landing her a job at the New York Post. As it seems, she's got it all. However, she's missing that special someone in the love department.

When it came to dating, it hasn't been smooth-sailing for Rory. Because she's spent most of her time furthering her studies and career, she has only dated two men in her life, both of which didn't end well. Her first boyfriend was the valedictorian for her class at Harvard. Alike in their ambitious ways, he accepted a job offer in Chicago after they graduated and moved away, ending their relationship at the same time via a phone call. During her days on the road for the campaign, she found herself in her second relationship with a fellow reporter. Although she was attracted by his humor and charm, after a year, she found out that he was also seeing another employee on the tour behind her back. Having given up on love, Rory had been focusing on her career ever since.

Now, she's ready to get back in the game and, possibly, find the love of her life. Thanks to her friend Lane, she is given the chance to meet amazing guys around the country and develop mature relationships that could lead to a fulfilling marriage. Here, on _The Proposal Card_, Rory Gilmore will meet suitors, go on _intimate dates_ where she gets to spend a whole day with a guy one-on-one, host _mini-parties_ where she will interact with numerous guys in a group setting, and chat up the contestants at cocktail parties at the end of each week right before elimination. The rules are simple and will be further explained as the show goes on.

On the first day, Rory arrived at the mansion in L.A. where she will be staying during this process. She met 15 suitors ranging from the age of 25 to 32. During the first night's cocktail party, she chatted with each men and tested their chemistry (whether or not there was an instant connection). At the end of the night, she had to give out a _love at first sight _card to the man who she felt she had the best feeling about right off the bat. After some thought, Rory walked up to the twenty-seven year old man in a black suit, with dark hair and eyes and coyly asked him if he would accept the card. He immediately said yes and gave her a hug.

Fast forward 3 weeks, several intimate dates, mini and cocktail parties later, Rory has 8 suitors remaining. The suitors are all put into the same house just down the street from Rory's mansion. Hopefully, they can stand their differences, notice their similarities and get along. Let's briefly take a look at their backgrounds:

Doyle McMaster (29): At 5 feet 1, he comes in a small package but with a big heart. He has a well established career as the editor of The Washington Post and holds a bachelor's degree from Yale. From just a look, you wouldn't have guessed that he believes in love at first sight. He believes his unique personality and sense of humor can attract his soul mate and is ready to find out if Rory is the one to swell his 5 feet 1 love to 6 feet 4.

Dean Forester (30): Speaking of 6 feet 4, this next contestant is exactly it. Being the tallest (and most muscular) of the bunch, he is a real eye candy and any women's fantasy. Coming from a modest background, he entered the work force fresh out of high school where he moved out of the small town he grew up in (which just happens to be Rory's hometown) and moved to the Big Apple to find a job. Now, he works in construction and is considering furthering his studies to obtain an associate degree in management, thus pursuing a manager position in construction in the future. Having both come from the small town of Stars Hollows but never really talked to each other, will Dean and Rory spark fireworks now that they are given the opportunity to get to know each other?

Logan Huntzberger (29): His father is the most powerful figure in American journalism. His family is well-known for their status and surname. Having grown up in a strict, proper and, sometimes, suffocating family, Logan spent his early twenties rebelling against his father's wishes, which meant going on numerous dating sprees and refusing to participate in any activities that had anything to do with journalism at Yale. Now having experienced the free-spirited, womanizing life, he finds himself looking for something more. Almost 30, his friends are all settling down and having children while he is still alone. He realizes the importance and his hope for love. He is looking for someone who he can build a family of his own with. He wants someone who can bring out the responsible side of him while still having fun together.

Marty Wilcox (28): As a graduate of Columbia University with a full scholarship, he is an intellectual and geeky guy with handsome good looks with his dark wavy curls and puppy dog brown eyes. He has enjoyed movies and books that are beyond his age since he was young. He has been entirely focused on his studies up until now and surprisingly never had a girlfriend beyond the first date. Since, like Rory, he values academics and good movies and books, will their similarities bring them closer together?

Finn Sade (29): This Australian hunk is not your average guy. He is quirky, eccentric and always a gentleman when it comes to the ladies. Having been good friends with Logan since they met at Yale, they signed up for the show together to see the potentials of finding someone special. Before coming on the show, they vowed to not let anything come between their brotherhood. As both guys start to develop feelings for Rory, will their friendship be put to the test?

Jess Mariano (27): With his solemn good looks and dark charm, Jess' chiseled features can catch any girl's eye at first sight. However, he can be considered a tad shy and very reserved when it comes to meeting new people. Slow to warm up to others, he is a mysterious puzzle that has to be worked on to get to the full picture. As a novelist, Jess expresses himself in writing rather than spoken words. When it comes to conversations, he often uses humour as a defense mechanism. There are not many people who truly know him because of his enigmatic personality. Jess' mother, being a hopeless romantic and love enthusiast with her many ex husbands, signed him up to be on this show. She hopes that he will find a good girl who he can settle down with. Although Jess is here unwillingly, will he connect with Rory and finally open up?

Colin McCrae (29): Parties, drinks, and girls are always on his mind. To an outsider, Colin seems like your average party boy who only cares about the drinks in his hands, woman in his arms and what suit he's wearing. But, one thing you would be surprised to find out is that he's actually a hopeless romantic at heart, who is just too afraid to truly put himself out there. He even goes as far as writing poetry for the woman he pines after. Being friends with Logan and Finn, he was convinced to join them on this adventure. Determined to put away his insecurities, Colin is ready to show Rory his true, cheesy self, poetry and all. Will he be able to win Rory's heart with hearts and flowers?

Tristan DuGray (27): Obnoxious, privileged, and ridiculously good-looking would be words that describe Tristan right away. But, if you got to know him more, you would find he has insecurities and problems of his own. Coming from an emotionally abusive family, Tristan did not grow up in a warm environment. After his freshman year at Chilton, he was sent off to military school by his father because of several misconducts and, therefore, Rory and him never met. When he turned 18, he made the courageous choice to cut ties with his family and trust fund, and went to make a life for himself. Now, almost a decade later, he uses the skills he learnt in military school to teach kids self-defence. Also, he has established a small online company that helps kids around the country living in abusive conditions. Being a young entrepreneur and CEO, Tristan has since grown out of his trouble-making days, although he still carries an arrogant air on him when it comes to the people he meet. How will the relationship between Rory and Tristan develop? Will she find out more about his many amazing qualities and look beyond his snobby persona?

Now that we know a bit about our leading men and lady, let's get to the action.

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**Week 4**

Rory woke up to the digital sound of birds chirping coming from the doorbell. Getting out of the king-sized bed donned in pink silk covers, she wrapped herself in a silk robe. After 3 weeks in this mansion, she was still in awe of the luxurious setting. Pulling her messy brown hair to one side, she made her way sleepily to the hallway. There, she was met with a grand oak wood railing over looking the downstairs atrium and kitchen. Turning to her left, she followed the railing and arrived at the dark wood spiral stairs leading to the first floor. Putting her hand on the wood, she traveled down the steps carefully in bare foot, feeling the coolness of the wooden floor on her toes. The downstairs atrium was decorated in magnificent yellow and gold wallpapers and cold marble tiles. All the furniture around her were of dark oak. Walking through the elaborate kitchen with its counters and bar, she made her way to the front doors. Pulling on the metal handle shaped like roses, the warm California air greeted her face.

Peaking out the door, she saw that there wasn't any one in sight. Looking down at the doorsteps, she saw an envelope wrapped in a bright red silk ribbon laying on the gray stone tiles. Bending down, she retrieved it curiously with her heart thumping faster in her chest. After many weeks, she knew what the envelope contained. It was the event card that will tell her what will be happening this week with the guys. It will tell her who she was going on intimate dates and mini-parties with, and what they will be doing.

With the card in her hand and a smile on her face, she closed the door shut and skipped to the kitchen. Hopping onto one of the steel and leather bar stool, she tore the envelope open. Examining the beautiful pale pink card she pulled out from the envelope, she flipped it open and read the content.

**Rory,**

**This week, be prepared for an outdoors, action-packed mini-party at the stadium. Six guys will be split into two teams of three for a game of Rugby. In this contact sport, the team that scores the most touch downs will be invited to a poolside dinner in the evening to spend more time with you. During this time, you will be choosing one of the men to hand out a _safe card_ to. As usual, the person who receives a safe card will be safe from elimination this week. **

**As for intimate dates, you will be going on two. As for who they will be with and what you will be doing, please wait for further clues. As before, during these dates, you can choose to give out a safe card to the contestant. If he does not receive a safe card by the end of the date, he will be leaving the show immediately.**

**Hope this week goes smoothly for everyone. **

**_The Proposal Card_ team**

Reading the card over twice, Rory's mind was filled with excitement and anticipation. She couldn't wait to find out who she will be going on the intimate dates with. So far, she has had four dates. Two of them didn't work out so well, with one of them confessing he moonlighted as a gigolo. Therefore, she didn't give out safe cards to the two and they left the show. The other two dates she's had went fabulously. The first date she went on was with Dean. He was really sweet, caring and seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. She gave him a safe card at dinner, wanting to get to know him more. She couldn't believe they never got to know each other at Stars Hollows.

The date she went on last week and was still fresh on her mind was with Logan. From the first night she met all the guys, Logan stood out. He was confident, charming and, somehow, made her giddy and nervous around him. She felt like a teenager who was talking to her crush whenever she saw Logan. Although she considered giving him the love at first sight card that night, she also felt drawn to another man and ended up giving it to someone else. After her date with Logan, she was even more sure of her attraction towards him, but she is waiting to find out more about him.

There were definitely some guys on her mind that she wanted to go on intimate dates with this week. She crossed her fingers that she will get to know them better and, more importantly, they won't turn out to be less than what she had made them up to be.

* * *

Jess got out of the shower and was towel drying his hair when he heard someone call his name from behind the bathroom door.

"Jess! The event card's here. Come hear about it!" The voice sounded like it belonged to Doyle. It was fitting that it was him since he was the most controlling guy in the house.

Jess grunted a reply. "Coming."

He didn't understand why they all had to be there for the card to be opened and read. The forced group activities were killing him. Being in a house full of snobby rich guys was giving him headaches the size of Antarctica. Inwardly, he cursed again at his mother for signing him up for this. But, although he was complaining, the thought of Rory made his heart skip. There was something about this girl that attracted him. With their minimal time together, he was drawn to her like never before. She must have also felt the same way, since she gave him the love at first sight card that first night. The thought of Rory was what kept him on the show. If it wasn't because of Rory, he would have been out of here weeks ago.

Slowly, he continued to dry his hair and take his sweet time. When water was no longer dripping from the tips, he put down the towel and started pulling on the shirt and shorts he placed on the counter. When he was dressed, he made his way downstairs to the lounge where the seven guys were all waiting.

"Dude, took you long enough." Logan smirked.

Jess resisted the urge to shoot something back. Out of all the guys, he was irritated the most by Logan. Not just because he was the epitome of rich and snobby, but also because, for some reason, Rory seemed to be attracted to Logan. _Although I did get the love at first sight card,_ he reminded himself.

Ignoring Logan, Jess went to sit at the end of the long L-shaped couch away from everyone else.

Doyle was standing before the couch, holding the card. When he saw everyone was seated, he cleared his throat and said. "Okay, everyone. I'll be opening the card now."

"Get on it, Doyle." Tristan called out.

"I'm on it." Doyle shot him a glare. He opened the envelope with extreme care and, finally, flipped open the card. From it, he read. "And the first person to get an intimate date this week is..." He licked his lips. "Tristan." He looked up at the blonde man sitting in front of him, wearing a baseball cap backwards.

"Yes, sir." Tristan gave a salute in an almost condescending manner. He grinned and high-fived Colin who was sitting beside him.

Doyle narrowed his eyes, but continued reading. "Enjoy the end like it's the beginning."

"What?" Tristan furrowed his brows, looking genuinely confused.

Doyle shrugged. "That's all it says for your date."

"Maybe it means you'll be eliminated before your date starts." Finn chimed in. Logan and him exchanged a snicker.

"Whatever, dude." Tristan twisted his hat until it was facing the front and turned to Logan. "You're just afraid that after my date with Rory, she'll have forgotten all about her date with you."

"You wish." Logan chortled.

"Order!" Doyle clapped his hands. "There's another intimate date this week."

All the guys turned their attention to him, all wishing their name would be called out.

"And the next lucky bastard is..." Doyle licked his lips again. "Marty."

The quiet guy with wavy, light brown hair, standing behind the couch smiled while everyone turned to him. He bowed his head and nodded shyly.

"Congratulations, man." Dean, who was sitting in front of Marty, reached out and patted him on the shoulder. Marty, Doyle and Dean have formed a friendship in the house, mostly because Dean sees them as the smallest threat.

"Thanks." Marty muttered with a smile.

"That's great, Marty. Go get her." Doyle pumped his fist in the air, earning a smirk from Tristan. Then, he cleared his throat and continued reading. "Now the rest of us are invited to a mini-party today. It's a competitive game of Rugby. Oh lord." He wiped his forehead.

Howls of laughter came from the guys who were slapping each other on their backs. Except for Marty and Doyle, the rest of the guys were all athletic to some degree.

Doyle frowned and called out. "There's more." He put his stubby finger on the card and read. "The losing team will be going back to the house, while the winning team will spend the evening with Rory. One of them will be getting a safe card."

"I've got this." Dean spoke up, looking confident.

"Not so fast, bro." Finn turned to him, pumping his chest. "I've got the exotic agility like a gazelle."

"Okay, okay." Logan, who was sitting between the two, waved his hands. "Let's go get ready. You two can fight it out later."

With that, all the guys got up and headed off to their rooms. Marty, Dean and Doyle walked down one hallway together, while Logan and his two friends crowded together. Tristan and Jess were the last two left in the lounge. Without even a glance at each other, they went in the opposite directions.

* * *

**Coming up next:** With Colin, Logan and Jess on one team and Doyle, Dean and Finn on another, the Rugby game begins. Having to work together, things heat up between Jess and Logan. With Rory watching them, can they put aside their differences and pull off a good performance? As the game continues, the guys start to get rough with each other. An unexpected accident occurs and somebody gets hurt. Will the date be cut short? And who will get the safe card?

**Find out in the next chapter**

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A/N: Please let me know how this chapter was. It's very different writing a reality show format. Hopefully, it was interesting! Let me know if you're intrigued!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or the ideas for the reality show since it's based on existing ones on TV like The Bachelor franchise


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: From this chapter on, you will see little commentaries from the contestants or Rory that will be labelled "ITM". ITM stands for in-the-moment interviews, as in those times the contestants are talking directly to the camera alone that you see on reality shows. So just imagine the character talking to the camera! Was that clear? If you're confused, let me know and I can explain further.

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**Week 4 Cont'd**

Across a large football field of a velvety green, 6 men in colors of either blue or red jogged through the clipped grass heading for the centre of the field. For their upper bodies, Finn, Doyle and Dean were wearing blue while Colin, Jess and Logan were donned in a maroon red. Their Rugby gear were all paired with black shorts that were just as tight-fitting as their short sleeve, colored shirts. The figure-hugging material that had a smooth finish exemplified their every muscle or lack thereof when it came to some. On their chests, white letters were printed on, spelling out "The Proposal Card". On their backs, their last names were on full display. Carrying magnificent smiles on their faces, except for Jess and Doyle, the guys stood in a row at the centre, waiting for the lady of the hour.

Dean noticed Rory coming out of the building by the field and casually jogging towards them while waving a hand. "Here she comes." He slapped Finn, who was standing to his left, on his stomach with the back of his hand and nodded in Rory's direction. Dean's smile grew wider as Rory approached.

Finn cupped his mouth with his hands and called out to Rory. "Hey, love! You're looking fine."

Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, bouncing behind her head, while she wore a yellow oversized jersey over white jean shorts. Adding to the look, she flaunted her long legs with knee-high socks with yellow and white stripes and black and white converse shoes. The athletic look was a rare sight on Rory, but she pulled it off terrifically.

Rory squealed excitedly and did a little skip in her run, yelling back. "Hey guys!"

Logan, Finn and Colin, who were huddled together, waved back, huge grins splitting their faces.

Even a tiny smile appeared on Jess' solemn expression.

Soon, she was just about a few feet away and stopped in her track. Bending over and placing her hands on her knees, she panted slightly. Finally, exhaling heavily, she straightened herself and faced the cute guys who were walking up to meet her, taking turns to pull her in for a big hug.

"You look gorgeous." Logan spread his arms and wrapped them around her waist. His lips were curled into a closed-mouth smile.

"Aw, thanks." Rory gave him a tight hug.

When it was Jess' turn, he stepped up and gave her a hug without a word. But, as she was in his arms, he whispered into her ear. "Nice socks."

She giggled into his shoulder before they had to break apart.

Then, Finn came over and stooped down in front of Rory. Without a warning, he slipped his hands under her back and knees and swooped her off her feet, into his arms. Rory squealed in surprise, clinging on tightly to Finn's shoulders.

"For someone who categorizes herself as a couch potato, you clean up good, my love." He laid on the British and Australian accent thick to intensify his charm.

Rory's head tilted back as laughter escaped her lips.

When her feet were once again firmly planted on the ground and she finished greeting all the guys, she stood two feet away from the crowd and beamed at them.

"How are you guys today?" She was so happy to see them again. She missed them since the cocktail party a few days ago.

"Much better now that you're here." Logan replied first, with a flippant grin. He looked at her straight in the eyes, with his twinkling under the sun.

Just when Rory didn't think her smile could get any bigger, she felt her cheeks rise even higher at the sight as her heart flipped slightly in her chest. Lingering in Logan's eyes for a brief second, she turned to take in all the boys. "You guys all look really good."

She gestured and nodded towards Finn, Colin and, finally, Jess. He was always the quiet one in the crowd, but she always noticed his presence. She thought he looked the best today with the red contrasting his dark features and hair. His lean figure and toned chest and abs peaked through the shirt just the right amount such that Rory had to pry her eyes away.

Clapping her hands in front of her chest, she bounced on her toes in excitement quickly before explaining today's event. "So, as you guys read in the event card and by the look of this stadium and your attires, today, we'll be playing Rugby."

Roars and applause came from the guys as some threw their fists in the air, smiling.

"Well, _you guys_ will be. As I've said at the first cocktail party, exercising and Gilmores don't mix-" Rory scrunched her nose. She turned and waved down the path she came from. "-as you witnessed by how much I panted just from that short jog to the field."

The boys chuckled deeply.

"Now, what you might_ not_ know is that, the winning team today have a reward while the losing team have a punishment." She placed her hands on her hips, looking at the boys with a hooked eyebrow.

Half of the boys looked intrigued, while the rest booed at the word "punishment".

"The winning team, who scores the most touchdowns, will be cordially invited to a beautiful poolside dinner party with myself." She wiggled her brow while smirking at the guys.

Colin hooted in response, wiggling his brow back at Rory. Finn and Logan laughed at the exchange, shoving him lightly on the arm. Dean, however, slightly clenched his jaws, while Jess rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. Rory saw Jess' expression and stifled a giggle.

"What's the punishment?" Logan spoke up, a smirk on his lips, his eyes challenging Rory.

"Ah, wise question." She smirked back, again, letting her eyes sink into his for a brief second. "The punishment-" She turned to the guys. "-is that the losing team will be going back to the house immediately."

"Booo!" A few of the guys cupped their mouths and made the loud sound which echoed across the field.

"And!" Rory raised her voice to cut in, effectively silencing the protests. "They'll find some limited grocery items in their fridge, and..." She bit her lip to supress a smile, while keeping the suspense.

"Aw, come on!" Finn threw his hands in the air, acting exasperated.

Rory giggled. "And they'll have to prepare dinner themselves, working together as a team."

All the guys groaned, even Jess. As Rory suspected, none of them were particularly talented in the kitchen, not that she was any good neither.

She laughed at the guys' troubled expressions. "Okay! So, there'll be two professional coaches coming in to teach your team the rules and some strategies for 30 minutes. After that, you'll be on your own." She checked the watch on her wrist. "They should be here any minute now."

Looking to her left, she saw the producer signal her that they didn't arrive yet. Turning back to the guys, she added. "While we wait, why don't you guys do some warm-up stretches?" She teased and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I can watch."

* * *

After ten more minutes of waiting, where the guys hung out with Rory and tried to steal some alone time with her, the coaches arrived. One of them was big, and sturdy, about the size of Dean, while the other stood beside him like a fly. He was short and scrawny, like he was here for a chess match.

Rory explained to the guys that a member from each team can play rock, paper, scissors and the winner can decide with their team on which coach they wanted to choose.

Colin and Finn stepped up to play against each other. With best out of three, Colin won the match. It was a no brainer for the Red team and they hurriedly chose the Mike Tyson offspring as their coach. The Blue team looked defeated as they were stuck with the coach who looked like he belonged on the Big Bang Theory.

Splitting into their respective teams, the guys went to the bleachers to join their coach. While the coach explained the rules, it was the guys who were more worried about the game that listened more intently.

The Blue team was huddled on the grass, just beside the first level on the bleachers. They stood around in a tight circle, listening to their coach, who was just a head taller than Doyle.

**Doyle ITM:** I'm honestly terrified to death right now. I mean, who's the shortest dude around here? *He looks around him, and then points to himself* Me. And, with this coach? Who cares about having to make dinner? I can starve for one night. I'll be glad as long as I don't come out of this as a meat pie.

"Doyle, you check Colin. It seems the safest, got it?" The coach pointed a finger at him, looking firm and confident despite his size.

"Mmph." A sound came out his quivering lips as he nodded.

Dean reached out and patted him on the back, hard enough to make him sway on the spot. "I've got your back, bro."

**Dean ITM:** This is my game. I have many advantages and I'll make sure to use them. We don't need a burly coach. Our coach knows what he's doing. Watch out Red team. I'm glad Rory will be watching. *He tries at a snicker while rubbing his palms together, but ends up laughing.*

In the meantime, the Red team was lounging around the top flight of the bleachers with their coach telling them to intake large amounts of water before the game.

"Staying hydrated is the key." The coach's voice was so deep that his thousands of muscles seemed to quake as he spoke. He passed along bottles of water to each member.

Logan grabbed a bottle and drank from it, wiping his lips when he was done. "Didn't know this was all there is to Rugby."

Colin chuckled, and took a gulp from his own bottle. Although their coach weren't teaching them much, they didn't seem too worried.

Jess wasn't paying attention to his teammates as he was staring at Rory, who was standing at the edge of the field, talking to the producers and crew. He noticed how she reached to adjust her ponytail, or bent down to tuck at her socks. Every gesture touched his heart.

"Hey, you done looking?" Logan's voice was a tad annoyed, breaking into Jess' daze.

Frowning, Jess's head snapped towards the voice. "What did you say, blondie?"

A glimmer of anger reached Logan's eyes, but he remained standing a foot away with the bottle of water in his hand. "You're going to play or what?"

Ignoring his question, Jess snickered. "I can look all I want, by the way."

Clenching his jaws, Logan took a step forward. Tilting his head casually, he said. "It's not the looking I have a problem with, but that you're not putting effort into the training."

A snort came out Jess' nose. "Training?" He gestured towards the coach. "No offense to you, sir, but what training?" Turning to Logan, he sneered. "Or did you really need training for downing water? You should have had all the practice considering all the booze you keep down."

Logan looked like he wanted to lunge at Jess. Seeing the sight, Colin quickly stepped in and held Logan's shoulders while patting him on the chest, trying to calm him down.

Jess jerked back slightly, but kept the sneer on his face.

The coach came closer, a nasty frown carved into his face. "You guys looking to fool around or play Rugby?"

"Play Rugby, sir." Colin straightened himself under the coach's towering figure.

Logan and Jess glared at each other from the corner of their eyes, not replying.

"You two." The voice was a boom in the air.

Logan tore his gaze away from Jess and spoke. "We're ready to play."

"And you, Mr. Side Burns?" The coach turned to Jess.

Frowning deeply, Jess muttered. "This is ridiculous."

Not hearing Jess, the coach ushered the guys up and towards the field. They stepped down from the bleachers and got on the grass. As they walked, the coach explained the strategies and rules briefly.

When they got to the grass, he said. "Questions? No? Okay, go knock out some teeth."

Jess and Logan were visibly stewing, completely ignoring the coach. Colin, on the other hand, was nodding to his every word and looked nervous.

A whistle blew in the distance, and all the guys turned to see Rory jogging towards them with a whistle in her mouth.

She grinned, stopping in between the two teams. "Time's up boys! Are you guys ready?"

The Blue team yelled together. "Yes!" Even Doyle looked to be slightly happier.

The Red team however, stood there solemnly with Logan and Jess standing spaces apart and Colin awkwardly in the middle.

Rory noticed the stark contrast in team spirit, but didn't want to press the issue. She turned to the Blue team. "Good luck, guys." Then, facing the Red team, she tried to catch Logan and Jess' eyes. When she did, she gave them an encouraging smile. "Work hard, boys. My eyes will be on you." She teased before turning to walk over to the bleachers where she sat down, with a leg over the other.

The coach ushered the guys onto the middle of the field. "Let the fun begin." The loud voice like that of thunder exploded into the air.

* * *

The game was in full swing as the guys ran on the field, trying to steal the ball. They all performed even better than Rory expected. She sat on the bleachers, standing up once in a while during some intense moments of tackles and catches. She marvelled at the sweat and effort each guy was putting into the game. From the moment the coach's whistle blew to signify the start of the game, they charged at each other like bulls on energy drinks. With the physical nature of the game, Rory's heart was in knots, afraid that someone would get hurt. She screamed and even covered her eyes every time someone was tackled to the ground, especially scared for Doyle. Poor Doyle was the easiest target on the field and was tackled the most number of times. Luckily, the guys went relatively easy on him.

The most intense players were definitely Dean, Logan and Jess, who looked ready to kill each other. She wasn't surprised with Logan and Jess as she noticed the tension between them earlier and she found them both to be quite proud and competitive. However, she was completely shocked at Dean's fierceness on the field. During their intimate date, and every time she had seen him, he was just a sweet, caring guy towards her with no trace of any malicious bone in his body. Yet, out there, he looked like he was seeing red, trying to win for his team so that he could spend more time with her. Although scared about his big build hurting anyone, she was happy that he was showing a more masculine side.

At the beginning, the Blue team was in the lead as the Red team lagged behind. During a break, Rory saw Jess walk into Logan, shoving him slightly as if on purpose. Her nerves bundled together, praying a fight wouldn't break out. Then, she saw Logan and Jess being dragged off by the coach to have a chat. To her horror, the coach pointed to Rory, making the two angry guys glance at her direction. Even from afar, she could see the tightness in their expression and darkness in their eyes.

What was a relief was that after the spectacle, the Red team seemed to be getting alone better, building a new strategy. Logan and Jess were playing harder, working together to stop Dean, the tornado, and also taking advantage of Doyle's small frame. Soon, the Red team caught up and the game was tied for many rounds.

Rory had never really watched sport's games before. But, this time, she was intent on the game happening before her eyes. She took in every detail of what was happening on the field. Who was getting shoved, tackled or left to lie on the ground. Then, she also noticed how hot they looked, in their sweat covered gear, with moisture glimmering down their neck and their muscles flexing as they ran or threw the ball. Half way through the game, she realized she was clenching the whistle in her hands so tightly that it was drenched in sweat, even flooding her bare thighs.

* * *

The whistle in the air signified the end of another break. The guys from each team jogged onto the field, their sweat dripping down their chins and onto the grass underneath their aching feet. Panting heavily as they huddled at the centre of the field, as before, they all glanced and smiled at Rory for motivation and encouragement before the next round.

"Keep. Your. Eyes. On. The. Prize." Doyle huffed between sharp breaths.

Colin shook his head from side to side, sweat sprinkling around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, seeing spots before him.

When another whistle sounded, the game began. Quickly getting into their usual system, Logan caught the ball and ran as fast as he could towards the line at the end of the field. But, feeling Finn fast behind him, he looked into the distance and saw Jess many feet away. With a grunt, he prepared to throw the ball in the direction, but right before the ball left his hand, a huge weight hit his back. Finn was actually on top of him, gripping onto his back and shoulders. Together, they swayed around until they both crumpled to the ground.

"Sorry, mate." Finn slapped Logan on the stomach as Logan lay on his back on the grass. With that, Finn took off with the ball in his hands.

Colin saw the commotion and charged after Finn. With Finn's long legs, he was hard to catch. Also, Doyle was wheezing behind him, trying to catch up, which was distracting Colin. His vision was a bit blurry from the sweat getting into his eyes and his head felt like it was spinning. Pushing himself further, he saw he was just a foot away from Finn. Reaching out his hand, he tried to grab the body just before him. But, the last thing he felt was a huge thud and the wind being knocked out of his lungs. He felt his head split into a thousand fragments. Then, a loud ring in his ear consumed his body and everything in front of him spun around. He could tell he was on the ground, and blurry figures were huddling over him.

"You all right, man?"

"Colin?"

He tried to blink. He tried to reply. _My head...It hurts..._

However, he couldn't make out the voices or move his mouth as the pain from his head shook through his body.

Slowly, his vision turned black and he sank into a dark hole.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Rory screamed as she shot up from her seat. Without hesitating, she ran down the field while the rest of the players all went over to Colin's still body that was lying on the ground.

"Colin?" She stood over him and asked gently. His face was completely pale as he lay there without moving a muscle.

"Colin? Can you hear me?" She tried again, a huge lump growing in her chest. _Oh my god, is he okay?_ She was on the verge of freaking out.

Vaguely, she felt a hand on her back, rubbing it to soothe her. She didn't bother turning to see who it belonged to.

All the guys were crowded over Colin's still body, calling his name.

Heart racing, Rory turned to look behind her at the crew. The cameraman and producers were hurrying over to the disaster zone.

"Is he okay?" Callie, the female producer who Rory was closest to, asked as she stepped beside Rory.

"He's not responding." Rory's voice was small as she tried to swallow her incoming tears. "What should we do?"

"We need to call the ambulance." Callie said calmly as she leaned over Colin's body. She stooped down beside it, and then looked up, waving at one of the workers who was rushing over.

Rory saw that it was the doctor from their crew. She went to him in panic. "Is he okay, Jeff?"

Jeff stooped down by Colin's body and raised his wrist to check his pulse. "He might have a concussion." Looking up at the rest of the crew and the worried faces of the guys, he ordered. "We need to get an ambulance in to take him to the hospital."

Callie said. "We just called the ambulance. Its on its way."

The whole time, Rory watched the exchange, clenching the ends of her shirt and feeling her heart thump in her chest. This time, she saw Logan wrap an arm around her shoulder and heard him whisper by her ear that everything will be okay. Unable to respond, she continued to stare at Colin's pale face and pray that he would be okay soon.

She didn't know how many minutes went by as she stood there, but, eventually, the sound of sirens filled the air. Her heart loosened slightly with relief at the sound. _The ambulance is here_, she thought. _He will be okay as long as they get him to the hospital._

With paramedics rushing to the field, they checked Colin's vitals and took him away on a stretcher. With concern flashing on everyone's face, Rory and the guys speed walked behind to follow Colin. The show's crew hurriedly packed up all the equipment and doted behind.

* * *

**Coming up next on The Proposal Card:** With Colin recovering in the hospital, the remaining 5 guys all join Rory by the pool. With more guys for one night than she anticipated, Rory must deal with each guy vying for her attention. During the middle of the night, an unexpected guest shows up, leaving Rory in shock. With everyone's eyes on the safe card, who will Rory choose to keep safe for this week's elimination?

**Find out in the next chapter.**

* * *

A/n: please let me know what you think! And who do you think will get the safe card on this group date?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm so glad you guys are liking this reality show plot, 'cause I was pretty excited about it. :) For the rest of the story's ITM's, I will just be putting the **name:** in bold and whatever comes after that would be an ITM. So, just imagine the character saying it to the camera. I think ITMs are a fun and characteristic feature of reality shows so I wanna include that in the story. But, I'm also afraid of them interrupting the flow. I'll try it out and see how it works!

* * *

**Week 4 Cont'd**

Under the glowing, dim fluorescent lights that surrounded the large rectangular pool, the water was a sapphire blue, glistening in the night. The pool is amongst crisp white tiles and just a small feature on the huge deck behind the mansion Rory's been staying in. A few feet from the pool, there were three comfy looking, white sofas facing the centre glass coffee table. Underneath the furniture was a round, fluffy, caramel rug that extended to beyond the sofas. Beside the sofas were two small electric bonfires warming up the cool night.

Dean, Jess, Logan, Finn and Doyle walked alongside Rory onto the deck, each of them holding a drink in their hands. Because the Rugby game that afternoon was cut short due to Colin's injury, all of the guys were invited to the dinner group date. They chatted amongst themselves as they made their way to the white sofas by the pool. Rory was walking in between Finn and Jess, while Logan was beside Finn. Doyle and Dean were beside Jess. While they walked, Finn made jokes to Rory, causing her to laugh and lean closer to him while engaged in their conversation. He tried to lighten the mood since everyone, especially Rory, was a bit shaken from what happened to Colin. Before the pool party, the producers had informed everyone that Colin was doing fine in the hospital and was recovering from the concussion. This eased everyone up and let them get ready with higher spirits for their date night with Rory.

When they were all seated on the sofas, with Rory in the middle of Jess and Finn, she spoke up. "Welcome to the second part of today's mini-party, guys."

"Thanks for having us." Logan replied as the guys clapped and roared in response.

"As you can see, there were no losing or winning teams so we all get to enjoy the party and none of you are stuck at the house trying to cook dinner." She looked around her with a sly smile.

"Thanks to Colin." Finn joked, raising his glass as if giving a toast.

"Not so fast." Rory chuckled and pushed Finn's glass back down into his lap. "I've been told. There _will_ be future challenges coming up involving cooking _and_ a safe card."

"Oh dear lord." Finn groaned, along with all the other guys.

Rory laughed. "But, tonight, let's forget about that and just enjoy the party." She turned to smile at Jess, knowing he felt uncomfortable on these group dates. Then, she looked at everyone around the sofas. Raising her drink, she said. "I'm really looking forward to getting to know each of you better and I'm really glad you are all here."

The guys clapped their hands, ready for the party to get started and to spend some alone time with Rory. Finn reached out and patted Rory on the back, rubbing it slightly. Jess saw the move and gave him a quick glare.

"To the pool!" Ignoring Jess, Finn shot up from his seat and grabbed Rory's hands, pulling her up. Champagne spilled over the glass' rim and onto her loose, blue, short sleeve top. "Oops, sorry my love." Finn chuckled and leaned down to take the glass from Rory's hand.

She laughed and looked up at him. "It's all right, I wasn't planning to keep that on for long anyway."

"Ohhh." The guys laughed. They were all standing up now, ready to get into the pool with the lady of the hour.

Soon, everyone was down to their bathing suits and running towards the pool. As they ran, they stole glances at Rory in her bikini. She was wearing a white bikini top with a pale blue bikini bottom. Her long, porcelain legs were glimmering under the moonlight.

Reaching by the pool, everyone stood in a line, with their feet right at the edge. Rory grinned up at Logan who was now on her left, and then at Dean who was on her right, and grabbed their hands in hers. "Jump on 3 everyone!"

The guys' booming voice counted down, quaking through the night. "Three. Two. One. JUMP!"

With a huge splash, the six bodies hit the water, sinking into the deep blue, before popping back up.

Laughter filled the air as they treaded water towards each other, making an almost perfect circle surrounding Rory.

* * *

As the night went on and the alcohol was flowing, the pool was filled with people, just having a good time. The guys tried to get near Rory, talk to her by the pool, play games with her that involved carrying her in their arms, or even plainly show off their buff physique. Towards the later half of the night, things quieted down as they left the pool and sat around to relax. Everyone wanted some alone time with Rory to get to know her further and make a lasting impression.

Logan was chatting with Finn while sitting at the pool's edge with their legs dangling into the water. He turned to see Rory sitting on the sofa, laughing with Doyle and Dean. She had a hand on Dean's arm and was sitting quite close. He felt a surge of jealousy hit him.

Looking back at Finn, he started to stand up. "I'm gonna steal some time with Rory, bro." He slapped him on the shoulder before turning to leave.

Finn called behind him, chortling. "Why don't you put on a shirt first?"

Smirking, Logan kept walking towards his target. He thought she looked beautiful, with her wet, brown hair dangling around her face. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the drinks, giving her an innocent glow. She should be next to him, not anyone else. Watching her, he felt his heart thump a bit faster. No other girl has affected him this way before. He still remembered their previous date, and how they had shared a perfect kiss at the end. Her warm lips on his was all he could think about for days afterwards. Tonight, he wanted to feel them again.

Arriving behind the sofa, he leaned into it and tapped her gently on the shoulder, causing her head to turn around.

"Logan." She exclaimed. "Hey." She sounded surprised and happy to see him there, although Dean and Doyle immediately tensed. Doyle's awkward smile remained plastered on his face as he stared up at Logan.

"How are you enjoying the night so far?" Logan's eyes never left Rory's as he gave her a bedazzling smile.

"It's been great." She beamed at him.

"I was wondering if I could steal you away for a sec." Breaking their gaze, he acknowledged the two guys gawking at the exchange. "Is that okay, gentlemen?"

"Sure." Dean mumbled with blazing eyes.

"Mmhm." Doyle nodded, obviously intimidated by Logan's presence.

"I'll be right back, guys." Rory smiled at the two and hurried around the sofa to join Logan.

* * *

Rory held onto Logan's hand as they turned a corner around the deck. She smiled up at him. "There's a spot there we can sit in." She pointed to the swinging chair that was made of wood and padded with thick turquois cushions, hanging in the distance.

"Looks fancy." He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, smiling ear to ear.

She wrapped her arms around his waist as they walked, feeling content and comfortable being affectionate with him. After their first date, Logan was probably the person she felt the closest to so far.

She sat down first onto the soft, warm padding and Logan joined her. They naturally scooted closer together, making sure their skin touched. He wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her back into his bare chest.

She rested her cheek on his shoulder while peaking up at him through her lashes. His warm skin sent excited shivers down her back. "You looked hot on the field today." She said, feeling a slight blush creep up her cheeks. She was glad that they were under the dim moonlight.

He gave a deep chuckle, looking down at her. "You looked really hot watching."

Her smile widened. It made her happy hearing that he found her attractive. Since day one, she found him to be stunning, with his dirty blonde hair mussed on his head and dimpled smile. She even felt nervous and giddy around him the first time they sat down and talked at the cocktail party.

With his finger, Logan gently touched Rory's nose, scraping it playfully. "I missed you since our date."

She murmured back. "I missed you too." Watching a smirk touch his lips, she wondered why someone this handsome would come on a dating show. "I have a question."

"Mm?"

"Why are you here?"

Logan raised a brow. "To meet a hot girl and self-confessed bookworm?"

She giggled, remembering how she told him about her love for books on their date. "Seriously though, you're a great catch. I doubt you had trouble finding dates in real life."

Logan looked her in the eyes without replying for a few seconds. In his eyes, she saw some hesitation, which only deepened her curiosity. Eventually, he sighed. "To be completely honest, I've never had a long term relationship."

His usual charm was invaded by a hint of insecurity, like he was afraid the truth would push Rory away. She was, indeed, taken aback by his confession. For a second, she thought he was joking and nudged his chest. "No way."

He pursed his lips. "I sort of didn't take life too seriously when I was younger."

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Rory stilled in his arm and listened intently.

"I admit, I was kind of your average player and jerk."

She gave a chuckle to lighten the mood. "You broke a lot of hearts, I imagine?"

Giving a tight smile, he said. "Just a couple." He shifted his weight and held her so she was facing him. "In the last year, two of my good friends got married and some even had kids. I started realizing how much I also wanted to settle down and have a family."

Captivated by his eyes, Rory saw sincerity pour out of him. "So, you're a changed man?"

A brief chuckle left his lips. "I'm ready to find the right girl, fall in love and settle down. And I've never felt this way about anyone before I met you." He held up a palm with a small grin. "I swear, I'm not just saying that."

She couldn't help but giggle, tilting her head back. Biting her lip, she looked at him and felt herself melting into his caramel gaze. She murmured. "I believe you."

A heart stopping grin flashed on Logan's face as he leaned in. Whispering, he said. "You had me when I caught you sneaking off with _The Catcher in the Rye_ at the cocktail party."

Rory giggled as Logan's lips came closer to hers until they gradually met. Closing her eyes, she felt her heart soar at the sensation of his warmth on her. The kiss was soft and slow as he reached out to cup her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck, completely getting lost in the moment. She thought their first kiss was perfect, but this one really made her dissolve into a puddle inside.

**Rory:** Logan telling me he's never had a serious relationship was definitely a red flag. But, at the same time, I do believe that you fall in love when you meet the right person. *She sighs with a reluctant smile* I don't know... Coming into this, I would never have described him as the kind of guy for me, but there's something about him that makes me all happy when he's around. He's good, but I'm still looking to find out more about him.

**Logan:** Kissing Rory again was unbelievable, and everything I remembered it to be. I was pretty nervous telling her about my past. I feel like she took it well, but I could tell she had some reservations. I hope she doesn't pull back.

* * *

Later during the night, Rory walked up to Jess, who was sitting in one of the lounge chairs by the pool. To her surprise, he was chatting with Dean and seemed relaxed. With his hands behind his head, he was reclined in the seat. His dark hair was damp and slick, exposing his forehead. His upper body was toned, with the light from the poolside lamp highlighting his abs.

Rory's lips lifted, examining the sight as she arrived by his side. "Hey boys."

Dean and Jess lifted their heads to look at Rory. "Hey."

"Having fun?" She smiled at Dean.

"Not so much without you." Dean replied with a grin.

Rory chuckled. "I'm here to rectify that. I wanted to talk to you two one-on-one." She looked from Jess to Dean. "Who would like to go first?"

Jess and Dean exchanged a look. Then, Jess sat up. "I'll go first." His voice was husky and deep, which always made Rory's heart flip a bit in her chest.

Dean smirked, earning a smile from Rory. "The best is saved for last."

"I'll come get you later." Rory assured Dean as she headed with Jess, side by side, away from the pool.

As they walked, their arms brushed by each other's and the heat from Jess' skin made Rory's heart beat faster. Jess was the most reserved out of the guys, and she found herself having to work to get his attention. It almost felt like she was the one chasing him, instead of the other way around. As all of the guys that night had come to find her to have some alone time, she didn't hear from Jess. In the end, with no more patience, she went looking for him.

"Wanna go inside the house?" Rory suggested as she knew he liked his privacy.

Without looking at her, Jess shrugged. "Sure."

His distance frustrated her a bit. She knew that he was interested since they had many moments in the past weeks whenever they were alone. But, it never felt like enough. She needed to see more from him. Truthfully, when she got ready for the mini or cocktail parties, she found herself wondering whether Jess would like her outfits, and wanting to dress up to impress him. She was never one to go out of her way to impress a guy, but, when it came to Jess, she just wanted to be noticed.

Stepping in front of her, Jess reached to slide open the glass door that lead to the mansion.

"Thanks." Rory smiled at him as she slipped inside.

Jess followed after her in the dark.

"The light's here some where." Rory mumbled, trying to remember where the switch was located in this room. The mansion was so big that she still felt foreign in it after three weeks. Stumbling in the dark, she felt around for the floor lamp she knew was there.

"Ow." She walked into the back of a couch.

"Careful." Jess, who was close behind, naturally reached out to hold her waist. Even though she was wearing a loose, thin shirt over her bikini, the quick touch brought goose bumps to her skin.

_Click._ The dim, yellow light flicked on in the room after Jess found the switch. Looking at her, he gave a rare smile. "Do you live here, or me?"

Rory giggled, going over to sit down in the loveseat.

Jess followed and sat down beside her, inches away such that their thighs didn't touch.

Looking at his chiseled features and the shadows casted on his high cheekbones and deep-set eyes, she said. "I was looking everywhere for you out there."

"Yeah right." He leaned back against the couch, spreading his arm on the top of the backrest. His fingers were running through Rory's hair, playing with it gently. "You were pretty busy talking to the guys."

"You could have joined us. Where were you?" She asked, smiling at his touch.

With his dark, brown eyes burning into hers, he shrugged. "I just don't want to be part of the many."

Rory pouted. "You're not. I really wanted to talk to you alone, which is why I came to find you."

"I'm glad you came." He said it in a low whisper, his eyes not leaving hers.

Feeling dizzy under his intense gaze, Rory couldn't help but want to be closer to him. She gestured to the distance between their legs. "What's this?"

Jess's mouth curled into a smile. "What's what?"

"This space, here." She looked up at him, giving a mischievous smile. "I don't like it."

Darting his eyes away briefly while stifling a chuckle, Jess took the hint and scooted closer until their knees touched. "How about now?"

"Better." She smiled while biting her bottom lip. "I feel like you're so reserved. I wish you could open up a bit more, so we could get to know each other better."

Jess sighed, while extending his hand to reach for hers. "This is weird for me. So many guys vying for your affection. I'm not those to put on a charming smile, write you poems or juggle some freaking balls in the air to catch your attention."

Tilting her head, she looked at him adoringly. "I know that and that's what I like about you." With Jess, she felt brave about showing her feelings. She wanted him to know that she cared.

Jess spread his fingers against Rory's and interlocked them with hers. He watched their hands that were on her lap with a small smile. "I like you, you know that?" Giving her hand a squeeze, he peaked through his lashes to see her response.

Hearing those soft, sweet words and seeing his shy expression, Rory's heart melted. She leaned into his arm, and tilted her head to look into his eyes. Her voice almost a purr, she whispered. "I like you too."

Holding her gaze, his voice was velvety smooth as he asked softly. "Promise?"

She nodded against his arm, completely smitten. "Promise."

Licking his lips, Jess gently pulled her into him, until her chest was flush against his and she was tilting her head back to look up at him. Staring at each other with a small smile on their faces, they stayed like that for a few seconds, neither of them daring to speak. Eventually, Jess bowed his head slowly until their faces were an inch away. He murmured, his breaths washing on her. "You have beautiful lips." Then, he leaned in and kissed them.

As she felt his soft lips on hers, Rory's eyes closed. Her heart was dancing with elated steps, now that Jess finally made a move. This was their first kiss, and she knew it would be memorable. Moving her lips against his, she felt his need and emotions that he didn't show otherwise. What had started out slow quickly turned into fiery and passion. Feeling her neck and ears heat up, she clenched his chest. His palm held her neck and he deepened the kiss some more as his tongue sought entrance into her mouth. Naturally, she let him in, twirling her tongue with his.

Before long, they were dying for air. Jess pulled away, as they panted and stayed close to each other, their eyes locking. Basking in each other's hot breaths, they slowly recovered.

"Finally." Rory teased, her lips curving into a satisfied smile.

Jess leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips. "It was worth the wait." His mouth was set on his face, his eyes serious. The words rang with truth and sincerity in Rory's ears.

* * *

At the end of the night, Rory and the five guys were gathered to the couch by the pool. Everyone knew what this meant. Their eyes all drifted to the red, rectangular card placed on a delicate silver platter, in the centre of the glass table.

It was the safe card. Whoever Rory chose to give that card to tonight, would be safe from elimination at the end of the week's cocktail party.

Reaching over the glass, Rory's hand made contact with the smooth paper. Picking it up and holding it close to her chest, she looked at everyone around her. Her eyes paused on Dean, Doyle, Finn, Logan and Jess.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, and I got to know all of you better." She smiled at them. "But, there's only one safe card to give out." Taking a deep breath, she said. "I would like to give it to-"

"Hold on." A female voice came from their left. Everyone turned their heads to the sound.

Walking towards the group was a lady in a short, fitting, black dress and heels. Her dark blonde hair was clipped to a side, flowing over her shoulder. Her expression was mysterious and tough.

"Paris?!" Rory exclaimed, shocked to see one of her good friends on the show. No one told her she was going to make an appearance.

"Hey, boys. Hey, Rory." Paris waved at everyone, her face still serious.

Standing up, Rory went to give her a hug. Pulling back, she asked. "What are you doing here?"

Turning to face the guys, Rory explained. "Guys, this is Paris, one of my very close friends back home."

The guys all smiled and greeted her from the couch.

Seeing Rory's incredulous stare, Paris faced everyone and explained. "I'm here today on a mission."

Rory's eyebrow shot up, curiosity clear on her face as she stared at her friend.

"I'll be interviewing each of you one-on-one, asking some tough questions." Paris placed her hands on her hips, looking to intimidate. "Rory's my best friend and I'll make sure you're good enough and here for the right reasons."

"Ohh." The guys cracked up. "Scary."

Rory smiled and put an arm around Paris' waist in a half hug.

Ignoring the laughter around her, Paris continued, her tone dead serious. "As for that safe card..." She ripped the card out of Rory's hand.

At the words "safe card", all the guys shut up, their eyes hungrily on the red paper held up high in Paris' hand.

Paris wiggled her brow at their attention. Narrowing her eyes, she said. "_I_ will be giving it out tonight."

* * *

**Coming up next on The Proposal Card:** With the power in Paris' hands, each guy works hard to win her approval. She asks some tough questions, and gets some shocking revelations. What did the guys really think of Rory on the first night? Who confessed to cheating on a past girlfriend? Who was once married? One revelation upsets Rory, making her leave the film set in shock. As truths are revealed, things get tense between Paris and Rory. What is coming between the two friends, and will their friendship stand the test?

**Find out in the next chapter.**

* * *

A/N: Who's excited for the drama next chapter? What do you think happened?!

Also, what do you think about Rory's relationship with Logan and Jess? She talks to all of the guys one-on-one during the group dates, because they don't know each other beforehand and this is the time to get to know each other. I choose different ones to show in each chapter.

Also, due to the show format, she is basically dating numerous guys at once. She has to treat each relationship as a separate one, and will develop feelings for and make out with more than one guy. If you think this concept is weird, watch _The Bachelor_. :P


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! It reminds me to write and lets me know people are interested in what happens next! Sorry for the wait. This month will be pretty busy for me due to exams. When things settled down, I'll work on my other two stories. Please bear with me for now :) I'm so happy to hear you guys like the stories though.

I'm loving the "team spirit" :P I love hearing who you're rooting for as it brings excitement. But, I'm also glad some of you didn't reveal your preference because that makes me wonder too.

What will the boys reveal? Who's secret upsets Rory? And who will be safe from elimination? Find out now on the Proposal Card!

* * *

**Week 4 Cont'd**

Paris is seated in the metallic black patio chair, with her elbows on the thick, frosted glass table, glaring fiercely into her first victim. Finn. In fact, he offered to go first, carrying a goofy smile, not at all intimidated by Paris' petite stature next to him.

"So, _Finn_. Tell me." Paris flipped through the notebook she had in front of her. It contained all the information on the guys and the questions she wanted to ask. She raised her chin and squinted at him. "Why did you come on this show?"

"Dear Paris, you can relax. I have nothing to hide." Finn grinned, spreading his arms wide. "I came to meet a beautiful, classy, smart and funny girl, and that is exactly what I found."

"You couldn't have met such a girl in everyday life?"

"Believe me, I've looked high and low, but as a successful man with wild good-looks and exotic genes-" He shook his shoulders and adjusted his shirt collar playfully. "I have high standards and no one's really met them before."

"Hm." Tapping the pen she was holding to her lip, she read his information. "It says you work in marketing, how would you describe your work hours? Would it affect your availability as a husband if you and Rory do get married?"

"I do love my work, but it can be a 9 to 5 job if I have someone to come home to." He gave a grin. "For Rory, I would do just that."

"I see." Paris nodded. "Now comes the tough question. How many girlfriends have you had?"

"In my college days, my buddies and I specialized in picking up any hot girl we could get at bars." Paris' eyes widened slightly at his blunt honesty. He chuckled. "That was until my first real girlfriend. We were together for three years."

"Can I ask why the relationship ended?"

"That was my first relationship. Things were complicated." He looked serious for the first time. "We were at different places in life. I wanted to settle down, but she didn't."

* * *

The rest of the interrogations continued like so, with Paris asking each of the guys tough questions.

Eyes fixed on Logan, she asked. "How many girlfriends have you had?"

His eyes were unreadble, while he pursed his lips. "Four. Five."

"I see." Paris mantained a straight face, jotting down some notes. "Have you ever cheated on them?"

There was a long pause, before Logan replied. "Yes."

Without looking up from the paper, she said. "Could you elaborate on that?"

"I was pretty much an asshole when I was younger." He leaned back in his chair and sighed, crossing his arms. "I never took dating seriously and didn't really care who I hurted. I told a lot of girls I loved them, but I never meant it." Paris finally looked at him, and he held her gaze. "It was all a game for me."

"What are your intentions with Rory? Is this also a game to you then?" She leaned toward him, her voice furious. "She's taking this very seriously. She's been hurt so much before, and she doesn't need an asshole here to make things worse."

Taken aback, Logan frowned. "Hey, you asked a question and I was honest about it. That was years ago. I'm different now and I'll prove it to Rory and you and whoever tries to get in the way." He breathed heavily, his eyes hard and confident. "I'm ready to settle down and want to find that person for me."

A scoff came out her mouth. "And you think that person is Rory?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Paris glared daggers at him.

"Because I see it in the way she looks at me. I see it in the way I feel every single time she's near." Knowing Paris wasn't wavering, his voice became urgent. "I've only known her for a week, went on one date, seen her a couple times during group dates, yet I care about her more than any other girl I've dated." He licked his lips and look away briefly. Locking his eyes with hers, he said. "_That_ says something to me."

Staring at him and almost believing him for a second, she quickly checked the file in front of her. When she first received Logan's information, something had caught her eye. Something alarming. Determined to confirm it with him before he swept Rory off her feet, she asked. "Who's Andrea?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Rory was sitting on the couches with the rest of the guys. They chatted animatedly, without any silence coming between the conversations. But, amongst the easy atmosphere, she could tell everyone, except Finn, was nervous about their upcoming talk with Paris.

Dean, who was sitting to Rory's left, interrupted the conversation. "I'm sorry, but Rory?" He turned to her, catching her attention. "Could we go somewhere to talk? There's something I want to tell you."

He looked so nervous, which concerned Rory. "Um, sure." Standing up, she smiled at the other guys. "Sorry, we'll be right back."

"Not a problem, my love." Finn grinned back, raising his drink.

Jess, on the other hand, looked at Dean suspiciously, while Doyle looked uncomfortable with his interruption.

Leading Rory away by the waist, Dean turned around the bushes and stopped on the steps that led to the mansion. The nearest light was feet away, casting a dim shade on the spot.

"Should we sit?" Rory gestured to the concrete steps with a smile. She was curious to see what Dean wanted to talk about.

"Yeah, sure." Dean held her hand and helped her get seated, before he sat down beside her.

"So?" Rory brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Dean scooted closer, wrapping his arm around her back. She relished his embrace, feeling protected when she was with him.

Softly, he said. "I just wanted to say that I had a good time with you today."

"Aw, me too." She smiled, leaning her cheek on her knees, while looking at him through her lashes. His hair was long in the front, covering his brows. His smile reminded her of a puppy dog, soft and sweet.

"I said there was something I wanted to tell you..."

"Mmhm." She nodded, encouraging him to go on.

He took a deep breath, his chest expanding such that every muscle was pressed against his white shirt. "Remember our date that week? Well, I hope you remember, even with all these guys-"

"Of course I remember. I had a great time." She reached out and touched his arm.

Under her touch, his shoulders relaxed. He took her hand that was on his arm and held it in his lap. "Well, there's something about my past that I didn't tell you about."

She stared at him, not knowing what he was going to say.

"I'm not trying to hide anything from you. It's just that it's a vulnerable subject for me and this whole process is very strange." He chuckled out of nerves. "Meeting someone for only a week and having to open up about everything."

"I understand it's definitely strange." She smiled. "It's a very limited amount of time to get to know someone, so that's why it's important to be open. I want you to feel comfortable about sharing things with me."

"I know. I know. And I am comfortable." He squeezed her hand. "That's why I want to tell you something I don't usually like to talk about."

Rory wrapped her other hand over his, cradling his fingers with her warmth.

"When I was 19, I was going through a tough time with my career and studies. Mainly, that I didn't know what to do with them." His eyes hardened. "I ended up getting married very young."

His confession shocked her. She tried to not let it show, as she listened.

"Obviously, it didn't work out. It was a shotgun wedding. We thought we were ready and that it was an exciting thing to do." He cleared his throat. "In the end, we were divorced within a year."

Taking her hand away from his, she rubbed his arm, soothing his nerves. "I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share that with me. I know it's hard to talk about something like that."

"I just wanted you to hear it from me." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his chest. "I've grown since then and have learned a lot. Because of that experience, I take love and marriage really seriously."

"I can see that." She raised her chin, smiling up at him.

**Rory:** Dean looked so nervous telling me about his failed marriage. His hand was literally shaking in mine. It was really sweet of him to let me know. It was definitely a surprise, but I wouldn't hold that against him. We've all had a past and it's about the person he is now. *She smiles with a shrug* He makes me feel safe.

* * *

As Dean and Rory sat on the steps in each other's arms, a shadow stalked up to them.

"Excuse me, Rory."

The voice startled her, causing her head to snap up. "Paris?"

"I need to talk to you."

Knowing her friend well, she sensed from her voice that there were no room for arguments. "What's wrong?" She frowned, standing up along with Dean.

"You." Paris pointed at Dean. "Could you give us a minute?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Dean nodded, taking a worried look at Rory.

"I'm really sorry about this. I'll talk to you later, okay?" She tiptoed to give him a hug.

He returned her hug, whispering in her ear. "It's fine."

Rory watched as Dean walked away, his tall shadow disappearing into the dark.

When he was out of sight, she turned to her friend. "Paris, what's going on?"

"We're close friends, right?" Paris started pacing in front of the steps. "And you would want me to tell you anything that I felt you should know?"

"Of course, I would assume that's why you're here." She was getting anxious. "What happened? Is it something about the guys?"

Paris stopped in her track, spinning around to face Rory. "It's about Logan."

Hearing his name, her heartbeat sped up. "What about him?"

"Coming into this, I was given an information sheet of each guy so I could come up with questions for them." Paris explained and continued pacing. "A day ago, a producer got a call from this chick Andrea."

"And?" Rory wished her friend would stop moving. She was feeling more and more nervous. _What did this Andrea have to do with Logan?_

"She claimed to be Logan's girlfriend." Paris stopped to see Rory's expression. Her face paled by the second.

"She says they were hot and heavy for 4 months and suddenly, one day, he's just gone." The blonde continued. "She couldn't reach him by phone and couldn't find him at his condo. She only heard from one of his friends that he went on this show."

Rory's brain was reeling. _Logan, the guy she was the most attracted to in the house, has a girlfriend?! _"Maybe she's lying." She panicked. "Don't all these people try to sell their story about the contestants to the tabloids?"

"That's what the producers thought too." Paris shook her head. "So, I asked him straight up."

Swallowing the huge lump in her throat, Rory said. "What did he say?" _He must have denied it..._

Exhaling, Paris gave an apologetic shrug. "He said it was true that Andrea was his girlfriend."

"That's it? Did he explain further?" Rory grabbed her friend's arm, shaking it desperately. "Maybe there's more to the story?"

"I was furious and came to find you as soon as he confirmed it."

"But-"

"She's not my girlfriend anymore." An angry voice came from behind, causing Rory to jerk around.

"Logan..." Rory began to flush, being caught talking about him behind his back. "I..."

He stepped closer, looking between the two women, his jaws clenched. "I broke up with her right before I came to film this." He stopped when he was a foot away. "She was dating this forty year old at the same time and I found out."

Completely dumbfounded by the information overload, Rory just stared.

"You're the one to complain about cheating." Paris snapped, getting right in his face.

His eyes blazing, he looked down at her. "I don't have the best past record, but I'm serious about this." Turning to Rory, he said. "I'm serious about you."

"I need..." She ran her hand through her hair, looking everywhere but at him. "I need a drink."

"Look, I understand this is a lot to take in, but I don't want you to doubt what we have." He reached for her, holding her by the shoulders so she looked him in the eyes. "I swear to god. I like you and care about you. I wouldn't hurt you. I wouldn't lie."

Trapped in his gaze, full of sincerity and desperation, she found it hard to not believe him. But she just wasn't sure.

"Just leave her alone for now." Paris interrupted, pulling Logan away.

His eyes remained on Rory's as he stepped back. "Rory."

She didn't reply.

"Rory." He repeated, louder this time. She turned to him, her blue eyes wide. He breathed. "Do you want me to go?"

Biting her bottom lip, she gave a small nod. "Paris is right. I need some time to think."

**Rory:** I have no idea what to think. After learning about Logan's girlfriend, I'm completely crushed. What else could these guys be hiding? Right now, I'm really discouraged and am thinking it might not even work out. What if I'm wasting my time being here? What if none of the guys are right for me?

* * *

After the situation with Logan, Paris went back to interview the rest of the guys. With Dean, it was relatively easy as he already told Rory about his past. When it was Jess' turn, she had her guard up. He looked like another trouble about to happen.

"It says here you're a writer?" Paris started with the usual question.

"Yup." His eyes bored into hers as he leaned back in the seat.

Waiting for more, she examined his features. He was closed-off and mysterious, probably easily attracting Rory like a moth to a flame. Realizing he wasn't going to elaborate, she asked. "What do you write?"

"Books, here and there." His voice was low and scratchy, exuding masculinity.

Annoyed by his smart-ass attitude, she mocked his tone. "I see that you've written one very special book, about someone who was in your life?" She flipped through the files. "And, before you say "yup", could I get you to explain why you wrote the book and who that person was?"

"The first book I wrote was dedicated to my ex-girlfriend of four years." His tone was gentle. "I wrote it after the break-up. It was therapeutic. It's how I express my feelings."

Seeing a well-masked pain in his eyes, Paris softened. Skimming through the list of questions to ask, she changed the subject. "Do you like kids or want kids in the future?"

"My ex actually had two kids from her previous marriage." Jess' lips curled at her surprised reaction. "So, yes I like kids and I have experience with them."

* * *

After speaking with the four guys, Paris felt exhausted from all the information she learned. She could relate to how Rory must be feeling, having to go on date after date with the different guys. She could tell each of them had something to offer. Even Logan. Yes, he was untrustworthy in her mind, but she saw the way Rory looked at him. She knew her friend well enough after being roommates at Harvard. Racking her brain for who she should give the safe card to, she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against her arms that were on the table. The next guy, Doyle, would be coming over any minute. She needed a short break to collect her thoughts.

"Um, hi. Paris."

Paris mumbled into her arms. "Great, another hunk with an attitude." She lifted her head and blinked. "You look familiar."

Doyle sat down across the table. "Funny you mentioned that, because I thought you looked familiar too."

Sitting up straight, she observed him with narrowed eyes. "Did you go to Harvard?"

"No, Yale."

"Worked in Yale Daily News?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." His eyes lit. "How did you know that?"

"I was part of the newspaper committee at Harvard." She smacked the table hard, causing him to jump. "I remember you!"

"Oh god." He jerked back at her loud voice. "Do you now?"

"Yes, yes." She said. "You were the anal, persnickety, unbelievably hard to work with editor who I had to collaborate with for an article."

"Residents question campus security at Ivy League colleges?"

"That's the one." She crossed arms, looking satisfied. "So, we meet again."

"We meet again." He cocked an eyebrow.

"You know, although you were a pain in the ass, I thought highly of you." She waved a hand. "Yet, now here you end up on a shallow, mind-dumbing reality show full of desperate, love-crazed lunatics."

"Aren't you best friends with the lead?" Doyle challenged her insult.

"Yeah, I love Rory, but that doesn't make this show any less questionable." She replied without a bat of an eye. "So, tell me about yourself. What have you been up to since your terrifying reign as editor at Yale."

"I'm working in advertisement." He sat up proudly. "I'm told I have a talent with this mouth."

Tracing his lips with her eyes, she replied. "I'll bet."

* * *

At the end of the night, everyone gathered at the couches and waited for Paris to announce the safe card recipient. Rory sat in between Jess and Dean on the middle couch, while the rest of the boys sat on the other two placed around the coffee table. She rested her hands idly on her lap, her mind a blank mess. After what happened with Logan, she couldn't focus on any of the conversations around her. Even though the guys felt something was wrong, they didn't know what to do.

Nervously, the guys stared at the red card, holding their fate.

**Logan:** I know Rory have doubts about us and that kills me. I should have explained it to her on our date, instead of having her friend come here to interrogate me and find out about it. I screwed up, but I seriously hope she'll give me a chance to redeem myself. I need that safe card tonight more than anyone. I need to know she's willing to give us a chance.

Paris walked up to the card, snatching it away. Clearing her throat, she flipped the card around between her fingers. She looked around the table. "Thanks for taking the time to chat with me and opening up. I've learned a lot, some good, some bad."

The guys chuckled faintly, all hoping she could get to her decision.

"Now, there were many ways I could decide to give this card to. Who I felt was the most sincere. Who I felt fit Rory the best. Who I felt was the safest choice." Her eyes pierced through Rory's. "In the end, I chose the one who seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and could be trusted. Someone who was honest. Someone who promised a good future."

Glancing at each guy, she raised the card to her chest. Closing her eyes for a second, she opened them and looked to her left. "Finn."

"Yes, milady?" His chest puffed out as he grinned so big that creases formed on his cheeks.

"Will you accept today's safe card?" Paris extended her hand with the card in it.

Finn stood up and leaned over the coffee table, retrieving the piece of paper. "It would be my pleasure." He turned and winked at Rory, before thanking Paris.

Seeing Finn so happy, Rory felt her face lift into a smile to match his.

"Sorry, guys." He laughed and shrugged his shoulders, grinning around the room. Doing a little dance, he reached Rory's side and pulled her into a hug. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his body.

Though her spirit was dampened that night, she wasn't ready to give up. She looked at the guys around the room, who were all putting on a brave smile.

Letting go of Finn, she said. "Thanks again for putting down everything back home and coming here to spend time with me." Her eyes caught Jess', then Dean. "I think the most important thing in a relationship is honesty. So, thank you for opening up."

With a deep breath, she took a glance at Logan. His lips were curled, but his jaws were tense. "There are lots more to learn about each other. I look forward to the road ahead."

* * *

**Coming up next on The Proposal Card:** Rory spends the day with Tristan, and then Marty. As they get to know each other, the romantic tension intensifies between one couple, while things get awkward between the other. A playful date at the amusement park, a moonlit dinner by the beach, and fireworks as they lay in the sand. Everything is fun and laughter, until the safe card ends it all. Will they receive it or will they be sent packing? Who will be safe at the next elimination? Who will leave heartbroken?

**Find out in the next chapter.**

* * *

A/N: What do you think about the drama with Logan? And the things that were revealed about the guys' past relationships? Does it change your view on any of them? And what do you think about Paris giving the card to Finn? Who's excited for her one on one date with Tristan? And...Marty? :D

I wanna let you know that **I do not know who will win at the end**. It can really go any direction. I believe because they all know her at the same time, and all get limited time with her, it'll be about the chemistry, compatibility and circumstances between Rory and the guys. I definitely can see her with more than one. I know that at the end, I'll be in a huge dilemma as well as Rory would be!


End file.
